Outline

Background: Focus group meetings are organised to provide input from target users regarding the content and implementation of guidelines within the guideline program of the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG).

Objectives: To determine the extent to which the advice of these focus groups is implemented, and to measure satisfaction with these meetings among the participants.

Methods: Seventeen guidelines and related educational products and materials were analysed. We examined the proportion of adopted recommendations from the focus groups and the reasons why recommendations were not adopted. Satisfaction was evaluated using a questionnaire sent to participating general practitioners and a group interview with NHG staff members.

Results: The 17 focus groups made 281 recommendations regarding the content of the NHG Guidelines, of which 209 (74%) were incorporated in the final text. The main reasons for ignoring recommendations were differences of opinion about the content and the relevance of the advice. Both NHG staff members and general practitioners were very satisfied with the focus group meetings.

Conclusion: Focus group meetings with general practitioners are valuable for refining the content of the guideline and enhancing the acceptability and implementability of the recommendations among the target users. Further research is needed to assess the impact on guideline adherence.

Implications for guideline developers/users: Target users can be effectively involved in the process of guideline development and implementation through focus group meetings.